596 
WUiWAL  OP  BORTIOULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  O/^RDENER. 
Deoeaiber  1 7,  1896., 
SEASONABLE  NOTES. 
Examining  Stocks. 
During  the  preient  spell  of  fine  open  weather  it  will  be  an 
advantage  to  examine  all  stocks  of  bees  and  hives  in  the  apiary,  as 
daring  the  excessive  rainfall  experienced  throughout  the  country 
for  the  last  three  months  much  mischief  may  have  been  done. 
Alrtaiy  complaints  have  been  heard  of  queenless  colonies,  which 
to  say  the  least  is  very  annoying  after  special  care  had  been  taken 
to  reqaeen  the  majority  of  stocks  in  the  apiary.  The  weather, 
howdver,  must  not  be  blamed  for  this  mishap.  The  two  chief 
evils  to  be  guarded  against  at  thi«  season  are  shortness  of  stores 
and  dampness  in  hives. 
Hives  in  Bad  Conditio::. 
If  hives  are  in  good  condition  is  is  a  much  easier  and  pleasanter 
occupation  for  the  bee-keeper  than  when  one  has  ail  sorts  and 
conditions  of  hives  to  manipulate,  that  are  often  more  useful  for 
firewood  than  for  the  purpose  they  were  intended — namely,  for 
keeping  bees  dry  and  warm  in  the  winter  and  providing  ample 
breeding  space  for  them  in  the  summer.  It  is,  however,  best  for 
one  and  all  to  make  the  most  of  such  as  they  have  to  work  with. 
As  stated  in  previous  notes,  it  is  possible  to  make  the  most  care¬ 
lessly  made  roof  waterproof,  so  there  should  now  be  no  difficulty 
in  this  respect,  and  if  each  hive  has  a  loose  floor  board  it  becomes  a 
simple  matter  to  find  out  if  the  hive  is  warm  and  dry.  I  have 
found  it  of  great  advantage  to  have  several  spare  floor  boards  on 
hand.  The  dry  board  is  placed  by  the  side  of  the  hive  intended  to 
be  operated  on,  which  is  then  lifted  bodily  off  its  floor  board  and 
placed  on  the  dry  one  that  had  previously  been  put  in  readiness. 
If  there  is  any  moisture  about  the  hive  it  will  be  found  to  a  great 
extent  on  the  fl  )or  board,  while  if  all  is  as  dry  and  snug  as  it  should 
be  there  will  usually  be  found  at  this  season  a  considerable  amount 
of  cZriK caused  by  the  bees  uncapping  their  stores. 
If  wet,  the  boards  must  be  well  dried  before  being  used  again. 
If  hives  are  in  a  bad  condition  through  the  wood  decaying  the  bees 
should  not  be  disturbed  before  another  hive  is  ready  for  their 
reception  They  may  then  be  transferred  to  better  quarters, 
choosing  the  tniddie  of  a  fine  day  for  this  operation,  or  they  can  be 
manipulated  in  a  warm  room.  The  old  hive  must  then  be  repaired 
and  painted.  It  is  money  well  spent  to  keep  all  hives  well  painted, 
and  for  this  purpose  there  is  nothing  better  than  good  while  lead. 
Opening  Entrances, 
It  is  a  disputed  point,  whether  during  the  winter  months  all 
hives  should  have  their  entrances  reduced,  so  that  only  one  bee  can 
pass  in  at  a  time,  or  whether  the  entrance  should  be  open  its  full 
length.  In  theory,  the  former  would  at  first  sight  appear  to  have 
the  advantage,  as  the  interior  of  the  hive  would  be  warmer  than 
the  one  treated  on  the  latter  principle.  I  am,  however,  convinced, 
after  making  many  experiments,  that  wide  entrances  are  to  be 
preferred  at  this  season.  It  is  not  the  cold  that  kills  the  bees, 
although  it  is  often  blamed,  but  dampness  in  the  hives.  I  have 
seen  numerous  instances  of  this  fact.  I  therefore  advocate  all 
entrances  to  be  left  open  their  full  length,  as  this  will  have  a  • 
tendency  to  keep  the  hive  dry,  and  if  ample  coverings  are  placed 
over  the  top  of  frames  no  harm  will  happen  to  them.  This  is  a 
matttfc'  that  is  of  interest  to  all  bee-keepers,  and  one  and  all  may 
experiment  in  this  direction.  Care  should,  however,  be  taken  that 
sufficient  space  is  not  allowed  for  mice  to  gain  an  entrance,  or  the 
stores  will  soon  be  destroyed.  Later  on,  when  the  bees  are  working, 
the  entrances  should  again  be  reduced,  or  weak  stocks  may  suffer 
from  robbers. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
Horticulture  in  Schools.  —  Professor  N.  R.  Lazenby,  of  the 
University  of  Ohio,  has  been  giving  the  public  his  views  on  the 
subject  of  horticulture  in  our  country  schools.  He  considers  the  subject 
one  of  the  greatest  importance  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  cultivators  of 
the  soil  outnumber  all  the  other  classes  of  our  population,  and  also  though 
horticulture  is  one  of  the  youngest  of  the  arts  it  is  developing  the  most 
rapidly.  He  allu  les  to  the  importance  of  the  fruit-growing  industry  In 
California,  New  York,  Florida,  Missouri  and  other  States,  and  to  the  fact 
that  business  depression  causes  many  people  to  look  anxiously  to  the 
soil  as  a  means  of  livelihood,  and  proceeds  to  say  ;  Manual  or  indnstrial 
training  is  fast  becoming  a  popular  a-ijanct  to  oar  city  schools,  and  is 
helping  to  solve  the  problem  of  what  to  do  with  the  city  boy.  If  some¬ 
thing  similar  were  introduced  in  our  country  schools  it  would  be  equally 
helpful  in  solving  the  problem  of  what  to  do  with  the  boy  and  girl  in  the 
country. — (“  American  Gardening.”) 
All  correspondenpe  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be 
directed  to  “  The  Kditos,'’  Letters  addressed  personally  to 
Dr.  Hogg  or  members  of  the  staff  ofter  remain  unopened 
unavoidably.  We  request  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  ae  doing  so  eubjeets  them  to 
unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense,  and  departmental  writers 
are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letters  they  may  receive  on 
Gardening  and  Bee  subjects,  through  the  post. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions 
relating  to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  should 
never  send  more  than  two  or  three  questions  at  once.  All 
articles  intended  for  insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of 
the  paper  only.  We  cannot,  as  a  rule,  reply  to  questions 
through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  rejected 
communications. 
Crataegus  pyracautha  (iS'  E  H.'). — This  is  one  of  the  best  ever- 
greens  for  walls,  and  is  brlliiant  during  the  autumn  and  winter  when 
laden  with  clusters  of  orange-scarlet  traits  the  size  of  Havi?thorn8.  This 
i»  an  excellent  time  for  sending  plants  to  France  for  planting  there. 
Paradise  Stocks  (IF.  AT.). — The  “ordinary”  stock  you  mention 
is  not  improbably  the  English  Paradise,  which  grows  a  little  more 
strongly  and  has  broader  leaves  than  the  French  Paradise.  We  have 
no  doubt  if  yon  choose  good  varieties  and  grow  them  wall  the  stock  will 
prove  satisfactory. 
Tomato  Houses  Infested  with  Eelworms  QEelworm,  Hatitu'). 
— Tne  houses  “badly  Infested  with  eelworm  and  nearly  every  pest 
known  to  man,  every  root  in  a  bad  state,  and  also  the  soil  filled  with 
wireworm,”  will  require  sharp  medicine,  than  which  there  is  nothing 
cheaper  or  better  than  boiling  water.  With  two  or  three  portable  boilers 
the  work  may  be  got  through  expeditiously,  enough  boiling  water 
being  supplied  lo  the  soil  and  everything  In  connection  with  the  bed 
or  border,  such  as  walls,  so  as  to  heat  every  particle  to  over  12o"l 
This  may  seem  easy  enough,  but  it  Is  really  a  difficult  matter  io  get 
the  boiling  water  down  beds  of  natural  earth  sufficiently  to  reach  all 
the  eelworms,  as  they  follow  the  roots  and  penetrate  to  a  great  depth. 
In  such  cases  we  have  found  3  gallons  of  boiling  water  per  square 
yard  absolutely  necessary,  the  soil  being  in  a  fairly  moist  condition, 
so  that  the  water  enters  and  passes  through  it  freely.  In  the  case 
wire  worms  it  is  an  excellent  plan  to  dress  with  rapemeal  for  a  few 
days  prior  to  applying  the  boiling  water,  in  order  to  attract  the  pests 
near  the  surface  and  thus  act  upon  them  promptly.  If  the  boiling 
water  be  precluded,  though  we  know  not  for  what  reason  it  should  be, 
you  may  use  corrosive  sublimate  solution— 1  oz,  finely  pulverised  to 
fifteen  gallons  of  water — the  way  to  proceed  being  as  follows  :  Place  the 
mercuric  bichlorids  in  a  wooden  (not  metallic)  vessel,  and  pour  on  one 
gallon  of  hot  water  to  each  ounce,  taking  care  not  to  handle  the  poison, 
and  leave  overnight.  The  following  morning,  when  the  poison  has  dis¬ 
solved — or  so  much  of  It  as  will — place  In  a  vessel  14  gallon  !  of  water, 
corresponding  to  each  1  oz.  of  corrosive  sublimate,  and  into  this  pour 
the  -solution,  lettir.g  stand  for  four  or  five  hours,  agitating  occasionally 
BO  as  to  insure  an  even  solution.  Apply  so  as  to  moisten  every  part  of 
the  soil,  including  the  walls  of  the  border,  about  3  gallons  per  square 
yard  being  necessary  when  the  border  is  in  natural  soil,  so  as  to  get  at 
the  eelworms  in  the  deep  roots  of  the  preceding  TomaCo  plautt.  This 
will  kill  every  animal  pest  the  soil  contains,  and  will  not  in  any  way 
sterilise  the  earth  as  regards  vegetation,  but  care  must  be  taken  that 
no  insects  or  their  larvse  thus  destroyed  are  partaken  of  by  birds  or 
fowls  or  they  will  be  killed.  If  care  is  taken  there  is  no  danger  what¬ 
ever,  but  we  must  caution  everyone  by  stating  that  corrosive  sublimate 
is  a  terrible  poison.  You  mention  acids.  Well,  there  is  carbolic  ;  it  will 
sterilise  the  soil  for  a  considerable  time,  and  does  not  always  kill  eel¬ 
worms,  simply  because  the  soil  is  not  wholly  saturated  or  the  solution 
does  not  reach  where  the  eelworms  are.  Similar  remarks  apply  to  gas 
lime,  which  to  have  of  value  must  be  used  freshly  from  the  gaiworki 
purifiers  and  be  dag  in,  this  meaning  no  crop  set  until  spring.  Instead, 
therefore,  of  the  carbolic  acid  or  any  acid  we  advise  soluble  phenyle, 
lysol,  Iztl,  or  Jeyes’  fluid,  all  of  which  we  have  thoroughly  tested  for 
soil  disinfection  and  found  effectual  against  eel  worm  and  all  soil  pests, 
including  fungi.  One  gill  Q  pint)  of  these  preparations  to  3  gallons 
of  water  has  given  satisfaction,  using  3  gallons  of  the  solution  per 
square  yard  where  the  soil  is  moderately  moist  (not  dry  nor  yet  wet)  so 
as  to  get  well  down  ;  otherwise  the  solution  has  no  effect,  or  only  on 
eelworms  reached  by  it.  This  is  why  so  many  things  that  will  kill  eel¬ 
worms  fail — namely,  they  arc  only  half-heartedly  used,  ineffectively 
employed,  or  applied  too  late  to  be  of  any  real  service.  Instead  of  gas 
lime  we  prefer  best  lime  (stone,  not  magnesian),  freshly  burned,  slaked, 
using  only  enough  water  to  cause  it  to  fall  to  a  fine  dry  powder,  not 
less  than  5  per  cent.— half  inch  thickness  for  10  inches  depth  of  soil, 
1  inch  for  20  inches — forking  in  and  taking  small  strips,  si  as  to  mix 
